Method and apparatus for granulating wax

ABSTRACT

Multiple sets of blocks of solid wax which is a byproduct of the distillation of crude oil into gasolene and other useful direct products are vertically supported over a pair of oppositely rotating spirally wound wire brushes about twelve inches in diameter having stiff bristles of high tensile steel wire about 1 inch long. The sets of blocks are enclosed within feeders rockably positioned over the brushes and mounted on hemispherically shaped enclosures for the upper portions of the brushes. The brushes and feeders are mounted on an open frame which also supports a separate driving motor for each brush. Below the brushes is a hopper shaped accumulator, the outlet of which opens into a 6 inch pipe connected to a suction blower which feeds directly to the process or product using the waxes or to a bagging apparatus.

United States Patent Lazar [54] METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR GRANULATING WAX[72] inventor: Joseph H. Lazar, 530 Green Bay Road, Highland Park, Ill.60035 [22] Filed: June 23, 1971 [21] Appl. No.: 155,761

[ 1 Oct. 10, 1972 Primary ExaminerGranville Y. Custer, Jr.Attorney-Curtis F. Prangley et a1.

[57] ABSTRACT Multiple sets of blocks of solid wax which is a byproductof the distillation of crude oil into gasolene and other useful directproducts are vertically supported over a pair of oppositely rotatingspirally wound wire brushes about twelve inches in diameter [52] 241/1384 3 52 having stiff bristles of high tensile steel wire about 1 I 5] 1Int Cl 802C 13/00 inch long. The sets of blocks are enclosed within 58 i5 R 186 R feeders rockably positioned over the brushes and I l I o c241/l9l 3 mounted on hemispherically shaped enclosures for the upperportions of the brushes. The brushes and feeders are mounted on an openframe which also sup- [56] References Clted ports a separate drivingmotor for each brush. Below UNITED STATES PATENTS the brushes is ahopper shaped accumulator, the outlet of which opens into a 6 inch pipeconnected to a sucl,344,l80 6/1920 McMillan ..24l/277X tion blower whichfeeds directly to the process or product using the waxes or to a baggingapparatus. 11 Claim, 4 Drawing Figures 6a 67 62 I 64 66 n 4 6'6 55 M l]M PATENTEBUBI 1 I 12 3 697.004

[2 we via/x I Mim/ gg PATENTED 10 1973 3,697,004

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION At present granulated wax is ofcommercial importance. It is mixed with rubber to eliminate the rubbercracking while exposed to the sun. It is also important as a lubricantfor plastic pipe.

The preparation of tiny and discrete particles of wax is at the presenttime difficult and relatively expensive. Commercially, such particlesare made by spraying heated liquid wax into a cold chamber, wherein thetemperature is below that of the solidifying temperature of the wax, andwherein the tiny droplets harden and fall to the bottom of the chamber.The temperature must be carefully controlled so that the wax spray willharden instantly to form the tiny particles. Care must be taken inremoving the particles from the chamber so that they do not fusetogether or remelt to adhere into lumps which could not be used. Theenvironmental control, the melting of the wax, spraying hot liquefiedwax, and the subsequent required care in handling the wax particlescontribute to the high cost of manufacturing tiny wax particles orgranules under prior art methods.

The technique used in the method and apparatus of the present inventionof granulating wax is mechanical in nature and may be carried out atnormal room temperature and in circumstances where it is merelynecessary that the room would be kept sufficiently clean to preventcollecting dust and dirt with the wax granules. The mechanical processcontemplates subjecting one or more blocks of wax to abrasive actionfrom a rotating spirally wound wire brush. This action erodes granulesof wax which are collected in a hopper from which they are removed by asuction device for bagging or sent directly to use in an intendedprocess or incorporated in an ultimate product.

By selection of the brush bristle size and spacing and speed ofrotation, the size of the produced granules can be readily controlled.This is not possible under the prior commercial process because there islack of precise control over the size of the sprayed wax droplets.

It is possible to carry out the improved process at room temperaturewhere the wax is normally solid. It was noted above that the liquid waxhad to be sprayed into a cooled chamber where the temperature had to becarefully regulated. It was also necessary to determine precisely whenthe particles could be removed from this chamber to prevent their beingfused or lumped together. These expensive conditions are not necessaryunder the improved method and apparatus of this invention.

In the apparatus of the present invention the granules are automaticallycollected for bagging or immediate use. In the prior art commercialarrangement it is usually necessary that someone physically remove theparticles from the cold chamber.

with the accompanying drawings and the appended claims.

2 BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a view partially in sideelevation and partially in perspective of the wax granulating equipmentof the present invention;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged end elevational view of the wax granulatingmachine showing the wax feeders in a dotted line changed position, andmay be considered as being taken along the line 2-2 of FIG. 1, lookingin the direction of the arrows;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged cross sectional detail view and may be consideredas being taken along the line 3-3 of FIG. 1, looking in the direction ofthe arrows; and

FIG. 4 is a cross sectional view of a portion of the drive for one ofthe brushes, and may be considered as being taken along the line 4-4 ofFIG. 3, looking in the direction of the arrows.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION FIG. 1 shows the wax granulating equipment 10 toinclude a granulating machine or unit 12 and a collection unit 14. Thegranulating machine 12 has a supporting frame 16 including a set ofhorizontal upper rails 18 and supporting legs 20. Motor support rails 22are also carried by the legs 20.

At opposite ends of the frame 16 the top rails 18 mount pairs ofbearings 24 of conventional design. The bearings rotatably journalshafts 26 and 28 of long wire brushes 30 and 32, respectively. Each ofthe brushes includes a long, closed end tube or drum 34 from whichprojects a great multitude of wire bristles 36. The bristles 36 arerelatively short, being about 1 inch long and made of 0.026 inch hightensile steel wire. It is important to note as seen in FIG. 4 that thebristles 36 are arranged in spiral form about the length of the tube 34.The importance of this arrangement will be discussed hereinafter.

One outer end of each shaft 26 and 28 is fitted with a pulley 38 overwhich is trained a driving belt 40 which is also trained over a drivingpulley 42. The pulleys 42 are mounted on the outer ends of the powershafts of electric motors 44 and 46, which are mounted on inclinedsupports 48 and 58 carried on the frame rails 22 and joined together at60 between the motors 44 and 46. The motors are so arranged that theydrive the brushes 30 and 32 in opposite directions at about 1200 r.p.m.,the brush 30 being driven in the clockwise direction and the brush 32being driven in the counterclockwise direction.

The blocks of wax to be granulated are held over the rotating brushes 30and 32 by a pair of mirror image constructed feeders 62 and 64. Eachfeeder includes a vertically extending chute 66 which is divided bypartitions 67 into sections, each being designed or adapted to hold aset of blocks of wax. A typical set may include three blocks to be fedto either of the brushes 30 or 32. Conventional blocks of wax measure 36inches by 12 inches and are 2 inches thick. The blocks are so fedthrough the chute sections that the 12 inch edges contact the brushes 30or 32. As seen in the drawings the partitions 67 extend through thechutes 66 so that their lower edges are spaced only slightly above therespective brush 30 or 32. This arrangement prevents the last portionsof the wax blocks from turning or twisting in the chute which couldcause chunking of the remnants, an undesirable result.

At its lower end the chute 66 is fixed to or made integral with asemicylindrical housing 68. As clearly seen in FIGS. 3 and 4 theinterior of the chute 66 is open to the housing 68. Each housing 68encloses slightly more than the upper portion of the brushes 30 and 32,and each semicylindrical housing 68 and its associated chute 66 arepivoted to a side top rail 18 by a long hinge 70. The housings 68 areprovided with end plates 72, each of which is cut out or slotted at 74to accommodate the wire brush shafts 26 and 28. At their inner sides thehousings 68 are formed with lips 76 which rest upon a rail 78 lying atopthe frame rails 18 and between and parallel to the brushes 30 and 32. Intheir normal positions the wax block feeders 62 and 64 are supported bytheir hinges 70 on the side rails 18 and by the lips 76 on the centralrail 78.

For cleaning, the feeders 62 and 64 may be moved to the dotted linepositions of FIG. 2. In this position each feeder is temporarily held bya support leg 80 provided with a foot 82 and pivoted at 84 to a smallbracket 86 fixed to the exterior of the chute 66 adjacent its upper end.In the dotted line position of FIG. 2 the interior of the chute 66 andthe housing 68 is easily inspected and when necessary cleaned.

Each chute 66 is formed along its sides and ends and through thepartitions 67 with aligned slots 88 which have a dual purpose. Theysupport transverse bars (not shown) against which an initial charge ofsets of wax blocks may be placed in the chute sections with the chutes66 disposed vertically as shown in full lines in FIGS. 1 and 2. Themotors 44 and 46 are started and when the brushes 30 and 32 haveattained their operating speed the bars are quickly withdrawn to dropthe wax blocks down onto the rotating brushes.

When the granulating machine 12 is operating normally the blocks of waxwill be mechanically pulverized at their lower ends and through theirweight will sink in the chutes 66. In their second purpose the slots 88serve as windows through which the operator may determine which of thechutes is being emptied first and whether certain blocks are beingeroded before others. The operator can thus readily determine when toreload the machine. He will also be advised when either of the chutesections is operating with less than the maximum number of blocks andcan determine whether to add blocks to make up a full set. Thegranulating machine operates more efficiently with a full load of blocksthan with less than the full load.

The machine is reloaded by adding wax blocks to those chute sectionsbeing emptied. This is done by dropping fresh blocks into nearly emptysections while the wire brushes are running. This technique insures acontinuous operation of the machine until it must be shut down forinspection, cleaning, or repair.

The lower portions of the brushes 30 and 32 extend into the upper openmouth of a hopper shaped accumulator 90 which has an outwardlyprojecting flange 92 secured as by bolting, brazing, welding, or thelike to the undersides of the upper frame rail 18. Accumulator walls 94slope downwardly to a discharge opening 96 in free communication with asuction pipe 98. A door 95 closes an access opening to the accumulator90 and is normally secured by a latch 97. It provides ingress forcleaning the accumulator.

The suction pipe 98 is connected by a feed pipe or conduit 100 to inlet102 of a conventional suction blower 104 mounted on a frame 106. Thesuction pipe 98 has an adjustable air damper 99 at its open end which isremovable for cleaning the pipe. The blower 104 has an outlet 108connected to a hopper 110 from which the granulated wax may be bagged ofcarried directly to the place of use in a process or to be incorporatedin a product.

As noted previously the wire brushes 30 and 32 are rotated in oppositedirections at about 1200 rpm. The rotational directions are such thatthe granulated wax is fed downwardly between the brushes and into thecenter of the accumulator 90. Under optimum operating conditions bothfeeders 62 and 64 will contain full sets of wax blocks, the amount ofwax granulated by each brush will be about the same, and the feederswill require servicing and resupply of wax blocks at the same time.Because the wire brushes 30 and 32 have their bristles 36 arranged inspiral form, the wax will be eroded evenly the length of each block andthe blocks will be granulated efficiently. This would not be possible ifthe bristles 36 were arranged circumferentially in ribs or rows. Thelatter arrangement would result in ridging the eroded edge of the waxblocks and cause chunks of wax to break away and mix with the waxgranules, an obviously undesirable result.

From the foregoing description, it is clear that the objects andadvantages set forth at the outset of the specification are attained bythe method and apparatus disclosed.

What is claimed as new and desired to be secured by US. Letters Patentis:

It. Apparatus for granulating wax from blocks of wax, comprising incombination, a frame, a pair of parallel spirally wound wire brushesrotatably mounted on said frame, means connected to rotate said brushes,a feeder associated with each brush and adapted to hold one or moreblocks of wax for gravity feed to its associated brush, and anaccumulator mounted on said frame in such position as to receive thegranulated wax from said brushes.

2. Apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein said wire brushes are madeof a base and have short, thin high tensile steel wire bristlesprojecting therefrom in spiral configurations the length of said base.

3. Apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein said means to rotate saidbrushes comprise a pair of electric motors mounted on said frame belowsaid brushes.

4. Apparatus as set forth in claim 3, wherein said motors drive saidbrushes in opposite directions to dispense the granulated wax betweenthem into said accumulator.

5. Apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein each feeder has avertically extending portion divided into sections above its associatedbrush within which sections the blocks of wax to be granulated are fedagainst an upper portion of said associated brush.

6. Apparatus as set forth in claim 5, wherein each feeder has a housingenclosing that part of its associated brush projecting above said frameand supporting in open communication therewith said vertically extendingportion.

7. Apparatus as set forth in claim 6, wherein each feeder is pivotallymounted on said frame so that it may be pivoted to a horizontal positionto permit ready access to its associated brush and to the interior ofsaid feeder.

8. Apparatus as set forth in claim 1, including a suction meansconnected to said accumulator to withdraw granulated wax therefrom.

9. The method of granulating blocks of wax, comprising feeding at leastone set of blocks of wax against a rotating spirally wound wire brush,accumulating the wax granules, and continuously removing the accumulatedgranules.

2. Apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein said wire brushes are madeof a base and have short, thin high tensile steel wire bristlesprojecting therefrom in spiral configurations the length of said base.3. Apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein said means to rotate saidbrushes comprise a pair of electric motors mounted on said frame belowsaid brushes.
 4. Apparatus as set forth in claim 3, wherein said motorsdrive said brushes in opposite directions to dispense the granulated waxbetween them into said accumulator.
 5. Apparatus as set forth in claim1, wherein each feeder has a vertically extending portion divided intosections above its associated brush within which sections the blocks ofwax to be granulated are fed against an upper portion of said associatedbrush.
 6. Apparatus as set forth in claim 5, wherein each feeder has ahousing enclosing that part of its associated brush projecting abovesaid frame and supporting in open communication therewith saidvertically extending portion.
 7. Apparatus as set forth in claim 6,wherein each feeder is pivotally mounted on said frame so that it may bepivoted to a horizontal position to permit ready access to itsassociated brush and to the interior of said feeder.
 8. Apparatus as setforth in claim 1, including a suction means connected to saidaccumulator to withdraw granulated wax therefrom.
 9. The method ofgranulating blocks of wax, comprising feeding at least one set of blocksof wax against a rotating spirally wound wire brush, accumulating thewax granules, and continuously removing the accumulated granules. 10.The method as set forth in claim 9, wherein multiple sets of blocks ofwax are gravity fed against a pair of rotating spirally wound wirebrushes.
 11. The method as set forth in claim 10, wherein the wirebrushes are arranged in parallel and are rotated in opposite directionsat about 1200 r.p.m. to dispense the granulated wax between them.